hopkins



2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

L. P. EYRE & T. J. HOPKIN3, APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND SGOURING, &c., WOOL, &c.

No. 498,250. Patented May 30, 1893.

(No Model.)

j G g a, m I f,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. L. P. EYRE & T. J. HOPKINS. APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND SGOURING, &c., WOOL, 6w.

No. 498,250. Patented May 30, 1893.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. P. EYRE, OF LONDON, AND THOMAS J. I-IOPKINS OF TROWBRIDGE, EN GLAND.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND SCOU 'RING, 840.,WOQL, 8w.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,250, dated May 30, 1893.

Application filed July 21, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE LEWIS PHIPPs EYRE, solicitor, residing at No.1 John Street, Bedford Row, London, in the county of Middlesex, and THOMAS JOHN HOPKINS, engineer,

residing at CradleBridge Works, Trowbridge, in the county of Wills, England, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland,have invented certain improvements in apparatus [0 for treating and scouring or cleansing wool agentor agents so that not only is danger of ignition of ignitible vapors from an agent such as bi-sulphide of carbon, greatly lessened.

but also very efficient degreasing, scouring and cleansing efiects are obtained bysuch agent and water or other Washing liquids.

The apparatus by which the material is subjected to the action of the degreasing and cleansing agent or agents and which may be termed a scourer consists of a closed tank provided with a suitable cover or suitable 0 represents in sectional plan and Fig. 2 in olecovers and with an inlet or inlets and an outlet or outlets for the degreasing agent and the water or cleansing liquid the said tank being provided with means whereby a rising and descending or equivalent vibratory or oscillatory movement of the material under treatment in the degreasing or cleansingliquid contained in the tank is obtained.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings vation partly in section what we consider the most convenient arrangement for this purpose, according to our invention.

A is the tank in which the degreasing agent and afterward the water or other cleansing agent is contained and B are receptacles for the material, which receptacles may consist of any arrangement suitable for supporting the material being treated. For instance they may be simple frames or cages for containing woven or felted fabrics impregnated with oil,

for degreassmart 440.721. (No model.)

greasy or fatty matter, while for W001 the arrangement shown is convenient this arrangement consisting of trays or baskets of wirework or perforated or like material supported in a frame 0 to which a rising and descending motion is given in the degreasing or cleansing liquid contained in the tank. One or any number of these frames 0 containing each any convenient number of trays (where trays are used) may be employed but for wool it is preferred to employ two of these frames 0 containing trays or baskets B as shown. The said frames can have imparted to them the rising and falling or equivalent vibratory or oscillatory movement by any suitable gear. In the arrangement shown they. are suspended by the links 0 at opposite ends of arms or levers d keyed to the shaft D which passes through stuiiing boxesa to outside the tank A and there has secured to it an arm E having in it a slot in which engages the crank pin f, on the disk F keyed on the shaft f which is rotated by any snit-ablemotor so as to give a rocking movement to the said shaftand so effect alternating rising and descending movements of the frames 0 and of the trays B carried thereby.

g is a shaft rocking in bearings g in the sides of the tank A and having radius arms g keyed to it the outer ends of which are connected to the bottoms of the frames 0 for,

the purposeof controlling the motions of the frames as they rise and descend.

Thetank A may have a perforated or reticulated false bottom as at h to keep back any material which may escape from the receptacles and is preferably provided with a gage (as at t') to show the height of liquid therein.

1 is a pipe communicating with the tankA and in communication by a four way cock I with pipes or passages 1 I I respectively, for the inlet of the degreasing agent, the outlet thereof, and the outlet of water or cleansing liquid. Instead of the four-way cock I each of the pipes or passages I I I may be provided .with a separate cock.

J is a pipe by which water is admitted to the tank A it terminating inside the tank by the sprayer j.

K are pipes provided with valves 70 by which any accumulation of vapor can escape it being drawn out by a fan or exhauster in connection with the pipe K The closure of the tank A is effected by the hinged covers A provided with valves a for the inlet of air when necessary. The covers are kept tightly closed by the clips a riding over the inclines a on the covers. When the trays B are used they preferably consist of perforated or reticulated boxes provided with covers which can be held in place by any suitable fastenings such as pins passed through lugs on the box part extending through holes in the cover part. The trays when employed are supported so as toleave a space for the passage of the degreasing and cleansing agent or liquid between them. This may be done by providing the trays with legs which rest on the frame in the case of the lowest trays and upon the cover of the tray beneath in the case of the upper trays.

Vapor of the degreasing and cleansing agents employed may be drawn oh? by means of a fan 'or exhausting device in connection with apassage or pi pe opening into the soon rer tank and also into the centrifugal and other parts of the apparatus where the vapors may possibly collect a partial vacuum being thereby produced in the scourer and extractor or centrifugal apparatus which facilitates the inflow of any liquid or liquids and mate rially increases the speed of the process. This and the absence of rapidly moving parts likely to generate heat or sparks in the scourer tank rendersthe apparatus very safe and at the same time prevents the escape of noxious vapor into the works where the apparatus is used.

The following is the way in which this scourer may be used in degreasin g and soon ring wool for example:(but the apparatusis not limited to the treatment of wool.) The wool to be treated, is carefully opened in such amanner as to leave the fleece as perfeet as possible. It is then placed in the trays B and the covers thereof are secured in their places on the trays by means of the pins and eyes or otherwise. The trays thus loaded, are lifted by means of an overhead tackle, or otherwise, into their places in the frames 0; the lids A of the tank are then closed and secured. The agent isthen let in and the exhausting fan set to work. By this means a partial vacuum is produced above the incoming agent which greatly increases the speed of the flow of the agent into the tank quickening the operation and preventing the escape of noxious vapor from the scourer into the building in which it may be used. When the agent has risen above and sufficiently covers the wool, (as indicated by the gage i) the inlet of the agent is stopped by closing the inlet passage 1 by means of the cock or valve 1 and the fan also may be stopped. The machine is then set in motion for say about half a minute to one minute, just sufficient time being allowed to enable the agent to pass freely through the wool and dissolve out the grease. The agent carrying the dissolved grease passes out of the machine through pipes I and I and can be'received into an outlet tank from which it can be pumped into an-upper tank for reuse. The machine is then stopped, water is let in from the spray pipe j above the agent, the outlet passage I for the agent is opened, and any remaining agent and grease which it has dissolved out of the Wool, is allowed to flow into the outlet agent tank. The incoming water by-its increasing weight materially hastens the agent out of the tank and at the same time prevents any undue evaporation of the agent by preventing its exposure to the air that would otherwise have to be admitted into the tank as the liquid ran out. When the agent has been sufficiently removed .(which can be ascertained by noting the discolored agent descend in the gage glass 1' on .the tank) the outlet passage I for the agent and the inlet passage J for water or cleansingliquid are closed, the machine is again set in motion and the wool under treatment is subjected to a good washing at full speed. This washing may be repeated several times according to the nature and dirtiness of the wool under treatment. A continuous flow of water or cleansing liquid may bepassed through the tank; but it is preferable to use intermittent washings using the same water over and over again in order to get the effluent water as dense and rich as possible with the g easy matter and animal potash in solution, for subsequenttreatment and recovery, and also to prevent the waste of bi-sulphide which would arise in consequence of fresh charges of water absorbin g bi-sulphide instead of allowing bi-sulphide to deposit as is the case in using water which has already taken up as much bi-sulphide as it will hold. The agent may be used over and over again until. it becomes so saturated with grease as to require distillation a suitable distillery apparatus being provided for the purpose of recovering the bi-sulphide for reuse. It is preferred to drive the crank disk F alternately in opposite directions instead of continuously in thesame direction. When it is considered that the wool has been sufficiently washed the outlet passage 1 for the water is opened, and the dirty water is allowed to run into a separator a partial vacuum being formed in the scourer and in the separator. by connecting them with the exhausting fan which materially hastens the removal of the water from the scourer and extractor and at the same time draws any traces of vapor of the agent out of the scourer. The water with any of the agent which may be with it passes from the separator by a suitable pipe into a catch tank, from whence any remainder of the agent can be recovered for re-use in the process. The action of the scourer being stopped the inlet air valves a in the lids are opened and the fan or exhauster set in motion, and as the last washings are let out, a current of fresh air is drawn through the scourer by the action of the fan or exhausterdrawing any vapor of the agent out through the outlet water pipe into the separator thence through the vapor condenser by the fan or exhauster and away above and outside the works or through a scrubber. The cover or covers of the scourer is or are now unfastened and opened and the wool is removed.

The supply of the cleansing or degreasing agents can be kept up automatically in any suitable way.

The vacuum created by the fan or exhauster will also facilitate the entrance of the cleansing water as described with regard to the scourer.

The fan or exhauster may also be used for ventilating the material under treatment by causing a current of air to pass through the extractor as also described with regard to the scourer.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we do not restrict ourselves to the details of construction hereinbefore described 5 but what we claim is- 1. An apparatus for degreasing, scouring, and cleansing wool, or other materials, the said apparatus comprising in combination a vapor-proof vessel or tank, inlet and outlet pipes for the degreasing agent communicating with said vessel and provided with suitable cocks or valves, supports or containers movable freely within said vessel or tank, out of contact therewith and means for imparting to said supports or containers avibratory or oscillatory motion, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for degreaslng, scouring and cleansing wool or other materials, said apparatus comprising in combination a vapor: proof vessel or tank,- inlet and outlet pipes for the degreasing or cleansing agent, communicating with said tank or vessel, one or more open-work or reticulated holders in which the wool or other material is inclosed,

said holders beingsupported within said tank and movable freely out of contact with the walls thereof, and means for imparting to said holders a vibratory or oscillatory movement, substantially as described.

3. In apparatus of the kind described the combination with a suitable tank or reservoir, of one or more oscillatory or movable frames in said tank, and one or more removable holders for inclosing the material to be acted upon, adapted to be supported in said frame or frames at suitable distances apart, substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for degreasing and scouring wool, the combination of a vapor-proof tank or vessel, holders freely w'able Witizln said tank or vessel, an inlet pipe for the degreasing agent communicating with said tank or vessel, a vapor outlet pipe above said inlet pipe, and a fan or exhauster connected with said outlet pipe for drawing off the air or vapor in the tank upon the introduction of the cleansing agent and thereby increasing the flow of the latter, substantially as described.

5. In the process of cleansing or scouring materials, such as wool, the improvement consisting in creating by exhaust or suction a partial vacuum above the cleansing agent as the latter is brought into contact with the material to be cleansed, substantially as and for the purpose specified herein.

6. In an apparatus for degreasing, scouring and cleansing wool or other material, the combination with a tank for the degreasing agent, of a holder for the wool or other material, a rocking arm or arms within said tank supported on pivotal bearings and from the end or ends of which said holder is suspended, and means for imparting motion to said arm or arms, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the kind described the combination with a tank for the degreesing agent, of a holder for the wool or other material, pivotal rocking arms at the top and bottom of the tank between which said holder is suspended, the arms at the top of the tank serving as supports therefor, While those at the bottom limit the movement thereof, and

means for imparting movement to the former, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus of the kind described the combination with the tank, holders for the wool and a frame in which said holders are supported,of arock-shaft passing through the tank and journaled in bearings in the walls thereof, arms on said shaft having pivotal connections with the frame at opposite ends thereof in such position that the holders may be readily removed, and pivotal arms connected with the lower part of said frame for limiting the movement thereof, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the tank and frames for the holders, of a rock-shaft passing through the tank, rocking arms extending in opposite directions from said shaft near the sides of the tank, between which said frames engage and to which they are connected by suitable links, and rocking arms in the lower part of the tank for limiting the movement of said frames, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

G. L. P. EYRE. THOMAS J. HOPKINS. Witnesses:

W. I. WEEKS, S. CRANso, Both of 9 B'irchin Lane, London, E. C.

Correct-m9 in Letier s. atent No; 1493,250;

- Oeuntersigned:

is hereby eertifi ed. shat Lefiters' l- 'afient', N 5,498,250, granted-"May 3i), 1893, upon the appiieation of George L P. Eyre, of Landon, and Thomas J. Hopkins, of Trewbridge, England, for an improvement in- Apparatus for Treating and 'Seouring, 850., W601, &e., was erroneous}? issued to said. George L. P; Eyre and Thomas J. Hopkins as joint owners 01 said inventien; whereas the patent should have been granted. to :eaid George L. R Eyre, he being so le'o wner of the entire interest as shown by the assignments ef record in ,theP-atent Office and that; the said Leiaters Patent i should be read with this; eorreetidn therein thatfthe'same'may conform to we reeord (if the [e se in the-mama -.'Signed, cdnntersigne'd and seaie iahi s an da or Jn1y-,- A.-D."1893.

" [snip] Y JN'Q- l REYNOLDS,

Akwistan tflecmtaky of the Interior.

s.'-"r-.-F1snm, I- v 1 Aging Uommissi'ener 'of Patents. 

